Considering that it's been kind of a good year for Spielberg (Blu-ray re-releases of Jaws, E.T. and Indiana Jones, Lincoln, Raiders in IMAX), I was thinking about his various films, especially since he's my favorite live-action director of all time. And a lot of his films come down to a lot of great moments in any category, be it a shot, a music cue, or something an actor does (he's one of the most underrated actor's directors out there, if you ask me). So here's a thread to list your favorite moments from the Beard and why.

Note: at this point, I have not seen Duel (though I have the 90-minute version on hand and plan to watch it today), The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind in ANY capacity (which cut should I go for, you think?), 1941, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Always, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan or Munich. Yes, I realize the irony in calling him my favorite director when I haven't seen several of his most famous works. Cries of "Are you shitting me?" are not only approved, but encouraged. I'm working on seeing Jaws, Ryan and Munich.

I'll start us off:

Raiders of the Lost Ark-Shooting the swordsman, of course, but I also always adored the moment where Indiana Jones tries the oldest "hey, what's that on the ground?" trick with the German mechanic. Somehow the fact that he's totally willing to cheat doesn't make him any less heroic.

Also, Martin mentioned this in another thread, but Ford's delivery of "You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together. I've got nothing better to do" is Ford at his most chilling. And the bar brawl has the great moment where Indy and another goon briefly team up to shoot another goon who Toht has ordered to kill both of them.

E.T.-I've noted this before, but the moment that wrecks me the most is when Michael cries out "NO!" when he sees the flower wilting, and realizes what it means. That and the crushed expression on Drew Barrymore's face when they're trying to revive E.T. A funnier moment is the half-laugh in Dee Wallace's voice when she tries to reprimand Elliot after the famous "penis breath" line; she wants to discipline, but still can't help but find the insult funny.

Temple of Doom-The one moment I always liked from Willie is her underplayed "oh, god DAMN it" reaction when she realizes Indy's going to cut the bridge. And of course it doesn't get much better for old-school Harrison For badassery than "Mola Ram... prepare to meet Kali... IN HELL!" Also, his face after the clenched-teeth delivery of "We are going to DIE" is hilarious.

Last Crusade-Really, any of the back-and-forths between Ford and Connery could count (especially since Connery is so appealing dorky for once), but my favorite has always been Connery's shocked "Look at what you did! I can't believe what you did!" after Indy mows down a room of Nazis with a machine gun.

Hook-I've noted before that this is my least favorite Spielberg film for many different reasons, but the one moment of Spielbergian magic that always gets me is the lock on the kids' bedroom window slowwwwwly unlatching.

Jurassic Park-I don't care how little sense it makes, the T-Rex coming to the rescue at the end with Williams' score blaring in triumph is utterly BADASS.

Schindler's List-Fuck you, I love the "I could have got more" scene at the end. Neeson plays it perfectly, and without that realization Schindler's character arc would be completely ineffectual. I also love the little touches of dark comedy such as the cut from "It couldn't be better!" to "It could be worse.", or the scene where Goeth's gun jams, he gets another one, THAT jams too, and he just gives up in frustration.

The Lost World-The T-Rex eating the dog is dark, cruel, and HILARIOUS.

A.I.-The skin-crawling scene where David encounters the copies of himself.

Catch Me If You Can-"Frank? Frank? You're not a Lutheran?" and the Christmas phone conversation between Frank and Carl.

The Terminal-Hanks telling Zoe Saldana that Diego Luna thinks she is like a "stallion" and her embarrassed reaction.

The Adventures of Tintin-Haddock's "never give up" speech. The devastated look on his face when Tintin snaps that he can smell alcohol on him. The insanity of the falcon chase.

War Horse-Emily Watson threatens to stab out David Thewlis' eyes with her sewing needles. The camera follows Peter Mullan's gun to reveal Albert standing in front of Joey. The horses reappear without their riders. The windmill blade passes in front of the camera as the two German boys are shot.

Lincoln-Bruce McGill storms out because he can't STAND to hear another of Lincoln's stories. James Spader is shot at, starts to run away, realizes he left his papers (and briefly, nonverbally curses himself for it), goes back to get them, and kicks leaves and dirt into the shooter's face to delay his reloading. "I am the President of the United States, clothed in immense power!"

or the scene where Goeth's gun jams, he gets another one, THAT jams too, and he just gives up in frustration.

Feel free to tell me I'm full of shit, and it has been a while since I've seen it, and when I first saw it I was very into the idea of things being tied together neatly...but does anyone else think there's a connection between Goeth's guns not working and the guy he's trying to shoot, whose crime is not making hinges fast enough? Doesn't Schindler say something like "If these weapons actually work I will be disappointed." I guess my point is, there was an irony I saw there that may or may not actually be there, that Schindler is either passively or actively encouraging his workers to do shoddy work and that Goeth's guns misfiring is an example of that.

By the way, this is where I make the bold statement that Goeth (with considerable help from Fiennes) is probably the most complex character Spielberg has ever put on screen. You get the sense that his cruelty and sociopathology is due at least in part to him just not fucking wanting to be there in the cold, dealing with these people on a daily basis. He's a monster but a human monster, with tiny and largely untouched streaks of compassion that Schindler tries to play to (the "real power is not killing someone you have every right to kill" scene). Some critics said "Of course Spielberg couldn't give us a truly evil Nazi," but I think part of the point is contrasting two men, both in the Nazi party, and how they respond to the insane Final Solution. And I think the extent to which Spielberg is able to humanize Goeth even within this "never forget" framework is perhaps his greatest achievement. Of course, part of "never forget" is also "never forget that people like the Nazis don't come in twirling their mustaches and acting overtly Eeevil; they will come with smiles, acting like your buddy."

Also, I would say Schindler himself is one of the best, most complex characters Spielberg's ever put on screen, although Goeth is certainly one of cinema's great villains. I would slightly disagree on the compassion thing; after all, recall that Goeth tries to follow Schindler's advice by pardoning a boy who didn't clean his tub right, but ends up shooting him anyway. It's him trying to be something he's not, and he resolves the inner conflict by reverting back to his true nature.

Also, I would say Schindler himself is one of the best, most complex characters Spielberg's ever put on screen, although Goeth is certainly one of cinema's great villains. I would slightly disagree on the compassion thing; after all, recall that Goeth tries to follow Schindler's advice by pardoning a boy who didn't clean his tub right, but ends up shooting him anyway. It's him trying to be something he's not, and he resolves the inner conflict by reverting back to his true nature.

Well, he's also got the hots for his maid, which he explains away (when Schindler is caught kissing a Jewish woman) with "Jews have that power" or some such. I always felt he figured it was easier to fall back on hate than to, what, suddenly be nice to Jews? In his position? With him, as with Hans Landa, I always wonder what kind of man he would've been if he hadn't been where and when he was. Landa I figured would've made a great detective; he just happened to put that skill to use for evil purposes. Goeth, I'm not too sure; maybe an asshole manager or something. A Romney type. I don't see him being a very nice guy regardless, I imagine you don't get to where he was in the Nazi structure without a certain moral flexibility, to put it lightly. I don't know that either Goeth or Landa personally loathed Jews to the extent that they were officially supposed to. I'm not saying they secretly were fond of them either; they're sociopaths. If the official Nazi line was that people with red hair were subhuman and to be exterminated, Goeth and Landa, being part of that machine, would be like "Okay, we go after the redheads," the alternative most likely being execution. "I was only following orders" and so on. Anyway, as to Goeth's compassion, I think we see some of it in such unlikely places as when Schindler waters the cattle cars and Goeth says something like "You're giving them hope! That's cruel!" And he sort of has a point. He's laughing when he says it, but it's partly, I think, because he's sitting there with other Nazis. Schindler's gesture of kindness in that case is only a gesture and kind of pitifully inadequate, a drop on a forest fire. Spielberg may be saying a drop is still worthwhile but I think that's meant to be debatable.

I think you're actually right that Goeth doesn't hate Jews to quite the same extent, although his "love" of Helen is utter hypocrisy. And Goeth's status as Schindler's friend is a fascinatingly odd part of the story. But any compassion he might have is, for me, wiped out by the many, many atrocities he commits with petty glee during the film.

And remember how that scene you mention ends, as Goeth and the other Nazis look on, puzzled at Schindler's actions. They literally cannot comprehend it.

It's interesting that you bring up Landa, as I would say he's a lot smarter and more self-aware than Goeth. And he's certainly a more interesting conversationalist. But as you point out, they're kind of cut from the same sociopathic cloth.

Empire of the Sun: Bale is in the prison camp and the camp gets buzzed by a Squadron of P-52's. Awesome!

War of the Worlds (one of my least favorites): The first appearance of the Tripod, and the 360 degree shot of Cruise and Family in their car trying to get away.

Raiders: Agree with you Chris on Harrison Ford's line about "Let's go see him together" but also love the end of that sequence where Salah's 100 children (or where they just street urchins) rescue Indy. Really nice counterpoint to Indy's dispair.

Also Second the T-Rex "save" in Jurassic Park.

Lost World (another film I don't like as a whole): the T-Rex returning to the ship after his tour of San Diego, with the hold's door's closing after him.

AI: The "Moon" rising over the hillside and then chasing the Mechs.

Poltergeist (yes I know some other guy has his name on the credit): Ominous tree: Evil Clown.

I think you're actually right that Goeth doesn't hate Jews to quite the same extent, although his "love" of Helen is utter hypocrisy. And Goeth's status as Schindler's friend is a fascinatingly odd part of the story. But any compassion he might have is, for me, wiped out by the many, many atrocities he commits with petty glee during the film.

And remember how that scene you mention ends, as Goeth and the other Nazis look on, puzzled at Schindler's actions. They literally cannot comprehend it.

It's interesting that you bring up Landa, as I would say he's a lot smarter and more self-aware than Goeth. And he's certainly a more interesting conversationalist. But as you point out, they're kind of cut from the same sociopathic cloth.

What I like about Shindler's List is that there is in effect a dialog between Shindler, Goeth and Itsack Stern over the essentials of being a Human Being. Stern is the voice of moral conscious while Goeth is the absence of same, or if you prefer, Goeth is a kind of Existentialist who does what he does because he enjoys it, and he is in a place where what he enjoys is permitted.

Chris, get the Close Encounters Blu-Ray. It's super cheap and super great. I recommend watching the 1998 director's cut (or Collector's Edition), that removes the silly missteps the Special Edition added in, but keeps some welcome additions that flesh out the Theatrical Cut. It's also Spielberg's final, definitive and preferred version of the film.

And seriously, take this holiday break and just fucking marathon all those films you haven't seen yet. You owe it to yourself.

Jurassic Park: I saw this with my father, the first Saturday after it was released. During the first T-Rex attack scene, when the outhouse crumbles around the lawyer, and the guy is just sitting on that toilet in front of the T-Rex. My father, in a fully packed theatre, loudly exclaims "SHIT", and then laughs as the T-Rex chomps down on the lawyer. This is the moment I will always remember about my father. My pops is awesome.

Another E.T. moment: John Williams sneaks in "Yoda's Theme" when, well, E.T. sees the kid in the Yoda costume and tries to follow him.

And a couple more from Jurassic Park: the T-Rex's eye shrinks when they shine the flashlight on it. It's a small thing, but it just shows how alive the thing really is. Also, the great bit of animation where the Gallimimus looks up helplessly at the T-Rex before it chows down on him.

The introduction of one of the coolest movie characters of all time in the greatest movie of all time.

"It indicates the non-frenzied feeding of a large squalus."

I also LOVE the way Hooper nerds it up excitedly into his tape recorder while Brody watches on as he examines the remains of Chrissie Watkins. As a character moment for both men and as a masterful use of tension-building dialogue.

I only got around to watching War Horse a few weeks back (and loved it), but whilst there are many great scenes in that movie (I especially like the riderless horses racing past the German gunner and the scene where Joey runs through the trenches), there are two that stand out for me (and one of them has already been mentioned above). The first is the execution of German brothers Michael and Gunther which occurs between the turning of a windmill's sails. The second was the scene where the German and English soldiers meet to save Joey who has been tangled up in barbed wire, and end up treating one another as friends despite their alliances. I can't recall any music whilst this occurs and remember thinking the entire scene was something I'd not seen in a war movie before.

That is a great scene, although I think Spielberg probably took some inspiration from the famous Christmas Eve truce of World War I (which was made into the movie Joyeux Noel a few years back).

I did not know this! I wouldn't mind listening to the behind-the-scenes commentary on War Horse actually. I know a lot of people find that movie too schmaltzy but it's actually one of my favorite Spielberg movies in some time.

Uh, that's just my opinion, Saxon. I have no idea if it's actually true. It's just something I thought of during the movie: "Hmm, this kind of reminds me of the Christmas Eve truce during World War I, except with a horse and barbed wire."

About half an hour into Duel, right now. This is a film made for the paranoid in me. Because I've been in two car wrecks already in my lifetime (blame shitty teenage driving), I occasionally have car wreck-related nightmares.

Steve is technically perfect with composition and camera placement, never jumping the access. He shoots someone elses script but knows story and resolution as well as anyone. He DOES pull out great performances from 'one note' actors.

I think his best movies came before he had kids. What I'd give to see his filmography had he remained childless. (or at least hated them)

I've mentioned this before, but the last 45 minutes of E.T. is a masterclass in cinematic storytelling, particularly how to manage multiple peaks, keep them rolling and keep them building to a crescendo. You actually come out exhausted at the end of it, in an amazing way.

Is such a kick ass moment. Indy's been handed his ass for a while now and you just can't wait for him to dish some out.

Then cut to the next scene in the child slave mines. The slow dolly into Indy with a "you're about to have your ass kicked" look on his face and John Williams clanking metallic score in the background. Pure coolness.

Not a lot of Private Ryan love so far, which is a movie that Chris Spider needs to see very very soon. But aside from the opening scene, of course, the scene between Hanks and Damon in the church about Damon's brothers and the whole barn incident is one of my favorite moments of all time. Damon really nails the whole speech.

Not a lot of Private Ryan love so far, which is a movie that Chris Spider needs to see very very soon. But aside from the opening scene, of course, the scene between Hanks and Damon in the church about Damon's brothers and the whole barn incident is one of my favorite moments of all time. Damon really nails the whole speech.

Love that scene. And what makes it more impressive is that it was entirely improvised by Damon.

The final scene of Munich has always stuck with me, with Avner offering Ephraim to break bread with him as per Jewish custom. It's such a simple offer, but loaded with Avner's desperation for something to cling to, something to tell him that the hell he's just endured/perpetrated was worth something, maybe even something that may bring him closer to God again. Ephraim's 'No' - beautifully underplayed by Rush - is just such a fucking brutal rejection. It almost feels like he's passing sentence on him, condemning him to a life of fear and guilt.

Also, that final shot with the WTC in the distance is easily post-2001 cinema's most elegant use of the twin towers.

THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS doesn't get enough credit for being a remarkably assured debut. Spielberg gets one of Goldie Hawn's best performances out of her. It's a road movie, and a character study, both tense and funny all at once, and deserves to be more than a footnote of 70's cinema. The heartbreaking finale is truly devastating.

There dinner table scene with Dreyfuss and Terri Garr in Close Encounters, everyone is talking over everyone ( he used to use that gimmick a lot) and the daughter says "I don't want to eat my mashed potatoes, there's a dead fly in my mashed potatoes".

The cameo by Trouffant, later in Close Encounters. Good bit. Finding the WW2 prop fighters in the beginning of Close Enounters.

On a smaller note, I always loved that part in "Close Encounters" where Roy is talking to his older son, and his younger son is beating the crap out of one of his toys in the background. Punctuated by Roy screaming "Toby! You are close to death!!"

The final scene of Munich has always stuck with me, with Avner offering Ephraim to break bread with him as per Jewish custom. It's such a simple offer, but loaded with Avner's desperation for something to cling to, something to tell him that the hell he's just endured/perpetrated was worth something, maybe even something that may bring him closer to God again. Ephraim's 'No' - beautifully underplayed by Rush - is just such a fucking brutal rejection. It almost feels like he's passing sentence on him, condemning him to a life of fear and guilt.

Also, that final shot with the WTC in the distance is easily post-2001 cinema's most elegant use of the twin towers.